FAQ
What is different about Sforzando?
Sforzando is different because I approach music lessons from a wholistic standpoint. That means that when I teach music, my goal is not to get a student to play a piece without mistakes. I believe in fostering well-rounded musicians who have a mastery of performance, ear training, music theory, music history, and technology. Additionally, I encourage my students to apply skills and concepts they learn in lessons to other subjects in school and life.
Do you offer in-home instructions? Do you offer virtual lessons?
The short answer - no.
There are many reasons why I believe that music lessons should be conducted at either a teacher’s home or music classroom and never at a student’s home. The three top reasons why I no longer travel to students’ homes and I do not offer virtual lessons are as follows -
Students typically are more focused in an environment that is not their own home. When students are in their own homes, they naturally fall into a pattern where they will get easily distracted by familar objects in the room or family members passing by. Most students do not have a dedcated music room with a set up that can allow for the most productive lesson time.
As a professional pianist and teacher, I conduct all lessons on my personal Steinway & Sons piano with top-of-the-line acoustics. I understand the needs of all types of students and can adjust my studio to accommodate a wide range of needs. In addition, I have a well-stocked music library and can pull out sheet music and references easily.
Music lessons are not cheap, and to keep tuition affordable for most families, I do not offer in-home instructions. Typically, in-home instructions contain a 20% surcharge for travel fees.
Why are music lessons so expensive?
A lot of clients will often do some music teacher shopping before settling on one. My advice is to them is to never pick one based on price, but pick one based on fit. A lot of times, if clients pick the most affordable music teacher, they will often end up with an inexperienced teacher with little to no training. The biggest hurdle in learning music is often keeping a student engaged and interested, even in stages where there are a lot of “growing pains”. Inexperienced teachers often are ill-equipped to handle situations like this and as a result, have a hard time retaining students’ interest in music. I have done a lot of field research before setting my tuition rates. I am confident that my tuition rates are very competitive to other teachers with the same education and experience.
My child has had piano lessons before but quit. I want him/her to restart lessons but how will I know this time he/she will like it?
There are many reasons why a student quit music. I have had many adult students in the past who wanted to have lessons because they regretted walking away from it as children. I always say, the fit between the teacher and student is so crucial in ensuring that the student stays engaged week after week, month after month, and year after year. Not only do I have extensive training in music and pedagogy, I also hold degrees and certifications in education and early childhood development. I believe this makes me different from someone who is just a “kid person”. I do enjoy working with students of all ages! But furthermore, I am experienced in seeing where students are struggling, and I can successfully pinpoint the problem areas and work through them in a way which the student feels rewarded and inspired.